Tying the “Crane Fly” Mop

What’s going on, everybody? Quarantine 2020 time, let’s do this! Today, we’re diving into the infamous mop fly. A few of you have spotted it on my Instagram stories, and yeah, I like it. I’m not about to wax poetic about the majesty of a mop fly, but living here in the Southwest, guiding primarily in the Chama Valley of northern New Mexico, we have a ton of crane flies. And the way I manage to sleep at night while fishing mops is simple: I just tell myself, and my clients, that no, it’s not trash, it’s not junk – it’s a crane fly imitation. Hopefully, that helps you too.

• Hook: FullingMill Jig Force #10
• Bead: 3.8mm Tungsten Slotted in White
• Thread: UTC 70 Brown
• Body: Piece of Mop from Rain X Mop Ball
• Collar: Shrimp Pink UV Ice Dub + Swishers X Dub in a Dubbing Loop.

I like to fish this pattern on a jig, on the swing. Now, the fish here in the Chama can be pretty grabby, so they don’t always love that swung presentation, but without further ado, let’s hop into the mop – mop ’til you drop! I’ve got a Falling Mill size 10 jig force hook in the vise, paired up with a 3.8-millimeter bead. I like that 3/8 because that mop kind of acts like a sail, catching a lot of current. That heavier bead is really going to help pull it down through the water column, especially in the spring, this shoulder season, when those fish have often been holding in the lower third. You want that mop on the bottom.

Just a quick little thread dam behind that 3.8-millimeter bead. I grow these mop “hedgehogs” right here at Garretson Ranch – ethically sourced, you know! This mop material comes from a Rain-X ball, the kind you use to clean your car. I got this one at Walmart, I think for like three or four bucks. So just Google “cream mop,” and they’ll pop up.

We’re going to get our mop material from this Rain-X ball and cut it close to the “hide” – boom, drop it. Then, I like to measure my mop bodies to the bend right there. Pinch, come in, cut it, and then I’m just going to strip it. You see those four cores there on that mop material? I’m going to pinch right behind the bead and just lock those in. I don’t use lead for weight; I’ll use it for taper, but lead doesn’t add as much weight as you think. I think it’s ten turns of 020 lead wire to add a grain weight, and to put it in perspective, a size-12 jig cup weighs about a grain. Nice and secure. You can hit this with a dab of super glue if you want; I’m not going to, but we’re good right there. I’m going to go through a dubbing loop. I’m right-handed, so I’m pulling the thread down with my left finger, pushing the thread in towards me, going the opposite way with the bobbin, drop it, come around, and then come back and lock it down.

I’m going to use my trusty Opie ST dubbing spinner and just put this kind of on the side of my vise, out of the way. I’m going to use some UV Ice Dub in shrimp pink – super hot, I’m burning myself with excitement! Some dad jokes for you – I’ve been locked inside; I’ve had very little human contact. Then, I’m going to use some just dark rabbit. The reason I’m going to throw some of that in is because I like this Swisher’s Gen-X Dub – it’s just rabbit with a bunch of rubber legs in it. I like it; I don’t want it to be all legs, so I’m just going to do a little pinch, stack these on top of each other, and just blend them by hand. We’re good to go, that’s good enough. I’ll pick this apart.

So, dubbing loop, I get my Ice Dub, keep my finger in the loop, and again, I’m going to pull this Ice Dub out and kind of find the length. Once I have the length of that, I’ll break it in half. Once I have the length of the Ice Dub, open it up, feed the loop, and then I’m going to do the same with this Swisher’s mix. Make sure I get some nice rubber legs, and I want the length between the Ice Dub and the Swisher’s to be about the length of the loop – I don’t know, about two inches long. That seems about right. Dub jam it right behind the bead.

Then, I’m just going to spin this up, spin it again, and then take my brush and really brush this out. What’s cool is that hair will cover this Ice Dub, and it’ll kind of just veil the mop, kind of like a mop sickle, I guess. We’re just going to Palmer this through – boom! So, there’s kind of that veil, and then I’m going to come through with the Swisher’s. Pinch that off, do a little “Thermage” – little throw my… hey, that’s a completely made-up word in a language that only I speak! Super glue – Loctite Pro Tip: you can buy this at Walmart, I think for like two bucks. That’s where I get them because the brushes go bad, and it “gongs” stop – that’s how I buy it. Whip finish on there, and there you go!

There’s a mop fly that looks like a crane fly – it’s a crane fly imitation! Have fun with it, fish it! Thank you guys so much for watching this video. Remember to comment, like, and subscribe. This is just a bonus video; I should have another video coming out in a week, couple of days. But thanks for watching!